Sibling Rivalry
by Acaizer
Summary: Meet Ace: popular, nice, kind. He's the perfect child. Meet Marie: outcast, shy, weak. She's Ace's opposite. Two children, different as night and day, thrown into the arena together - it's guaranteed to be the fight of a century. The catch? They're siblings.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hey! This is my new (and first!) story, _Sibling Rivalry. _It was planned and written before Mockingjay, so just take it as slightly AU. Thanks!

Keep dreaming,

-Ally

* * *

**Sibling Rivalry**

Chapter One

* * *

Marie slid out of her bed, massaging her temples and thinking of the taunts and insults the night before. No, no... It was the day before Reaping Day in District Four. She would _not_ think of the taunts. She would stay strong.

Of course, now that she was finally twelve, she was eligible for the Reaping, and that was what scared her the most.

"Mom?" she called, padding down the soft carpeted hallway in her bedroom slippers. "Mom, where are you?"

"She's gone out – I think she's signing me up for more tessarae," a friendly voice called from the room next to Marie's. "It's my last year in the reaping, you know. She must be getting desperate. I mean, we do have a family tradition to uphold." Marie turned around and walked into her brother's room. Being the daughter of a former victor sure wasn't easy, especially in District Four, a district where being chosen for the Hunger Games was an honour. Especially if you were from the Slater family, a family with a victor from every generation. Especially if you, like Marie, were weak and helpless. Anyone looking at the small girl who was now sitting at the foot of her brother's bed would think she was no more than ten, really. With her long hair and wide, trusting eyes, she had the appearance of a sweet little angel.

Being an angel in District Four did not gain you popularity. Being tough did.

Marie Slater was the complete opposite of Ace Slater, her brother. Aptly named, the boy was the Slater family's _ace in the hole, _so to speak. Everyone and anyone knew that Marie could not be counted on to win the Games.

"Hey," Ace said, leaning forward and looking at his little sister. "Why d'you look so worried? Are those jerks still teasing you? You know, I could tell them to push off..."

_Helpless. Weak. _Marie thought.

Then: _No. You won't think about those jerks._

Marie shook her head. "No," she said. "Don't. They'll think that I care about the insults, and then they won't stop calling me names."

"Ah," he said, prodding her with a toe. "Well, we'd better go to the Training Centre now." When Marie shook her head and refused to move, then he looked straight at her. "C'mon, Marie. If you don't show up, they're going to think that you're a coward, too." Grumbling and muttering under her breath, Marie got out of her brother's room and trudged over to hers, trading her pyjamas for simple clothing. Then she walked down the stairs of the enormous house and out of the door. She didn't wait for Ace – he knew that she could take care of herself.

As she rounded the bend to the Training Centre, smelling in the salty tang of the sea, the taunts began.

"District Three," a voice hissed. Marie frowned. 'District Three' was one of the many names boys in the district called her – the Threes were nerds, weak and helpless, just like her. She remembered her brother had told her the day before – act confident, walk like you owned District Four, and glare at anyone who dared tease her. She decided to do just that.

"Alta," she said, glaring in the direction where the voice came from. "Nice to see that you're so scared, you can't even face me."

"Really, Marie? Really?" A young boy, around thirteen years old, spoke right behind her. Marie screamed and whirled around, sending Alta and his friends into fits of laughter.

"Ye... Yes, Alta, really," she said, trying to maintain a cool composure, a lost cause after her screaming episode. Then she turned around and stalked into the Training Centre.

_I really have to stop acting like I'm cool, _she thought. _It's not me. I can't even act well. Ace gets away with it because he was born cool. I wish I was –_

"Marie Slater! Do not hurt the equipment!" the head trainer shouted across the large space where the children trained.

Marie was about to protest that she hadn't hurt the equipment; it was more likely that the sharp equipment she had just walked into had hurt _her._

"C'mon, Almarine," Ace's strong, clear voice resounded in the Training Centre. It was then Marie noticed that her brother was standing next to the trainer. Of course he was – Ace was probably going to give yet another demonstration on how to use a weapon of some sort. It occurred to Marie that, in the off-chance that she ever had to enter the Hunger Games, her brother was teaching the young boys ways to kill her. "Give her a break. Alta and his crew seem to enjoy teasing her; shouldn't you be yelling at them instead? Besides, she's a Slater. I don't have to tell you what that means."

Being shouted at didn't improve Marie's mood much. Needless to say, she spent most of that day's lesson daydreaming of a District Four that treated her the way they treated Ace; of a District Four that treated her the way they treated the rest of the Slaters.

* * *

Reaping Day.

Otherwise known as hell for Marie.

Our little angel woke up to her mother leaning over her, a vague expression of interest on her face.

"Ah!" Marie screamed, pulling her covers over her head. "What are you doing here?"

"Get ready for Reaping Day," her mother ordered. "It's your first. You don't act like one, but you're a Slater. You have to look your best."

Marie rolled her eyes under the covers. Her mother would be the death of her. Of course, it had been stupid of her to think for even a second that her mother cared about her. All Jerrine Slater cared about was her family's reputation. She had won _her _Games by – Marie winced at the thought – spearing through her opponents. The first time Marie had entered the Training Centre, Almarine had thought that maybe she wasn't as weak as she appeared and had got her to use the spears. Marie had been supposed to spear through a dummy. She had managed to pin Alta to the walls with the spear instead. Almarine never let her near the spears again.

Marie had never told Almarine that she had been aiming for Alta. She was better with knives, though. They were easier to lift.

Deciding it was better not to antagonize her mother, she slid out of bed and began to put on the clothes her mother had laid out for her.

"It's not like you'll actually be reaped, but your brother most certainly will be, and you'll have to go see him in the Justice Building, then later at the station. You'll have to look your best." Her mother said, facing the wall.

_Of course, _Marie thought. _She just wants the Slaters to look perfect._

"How are you so sure Ace is going to be reaped?" she asked.

"Don't be stupid, Marie; surely you know about the tessarae? And it's not like our family's poor, too – I sold the horrible grain and oil to the poor families and bribed everyone else not to allow their children to volunteer this year, or to sign up for tessarae. Ace will most definitely be reaped," her mother scoffed. "Now, hurry up and change, I need to do your hair for you."

"What's wrong with a simple ponytail?" Marie grumbled as her mother fussed with her hair. She knew that her mother would most likely give her an elaborate hairdo that would itch and require her to walk slowly and carefully to prevent it from falling.

"A ponytail!" Jerrine sounded horrified. "A ponytail shows absolutely no class!"

Class. How Marie hated that word. Having _class _in her mother's vocabulary usually meant having to wear horrible, uncomfortable dresses and having to spend hours styling her hair.

"Jerrine!" Marie's father called a few hours later, just as Jerrine finished with Marie's hair. "Hurry up, the reaping is starting soon!"

Marie's mother rushed out of the room, dragging Marie with her.

"Now, you know what we do every reaping," her mother instructed. "We walk in a straight line with the same pace – that intimidates people – and then we walk you and your brother to your various sections."

Marie nodded slightly, trying to keep her hairdo from falling off her head.

As they walked together towards the town square, Marie grabbed Ace's hand, worrying that her mother's plan would work and her brother would be reaped.

"Marie," her mother hissed. "Let go of your brother's hand. You're not a small child any more. You're going to make the Capitol citizens watching think that Ace is weak and needs help, and then he won't get any sponsors. Is that what you want?"

Marie promptly let go of her brother's hand, but not before he smiled at her. "Don't worry," he said. "I'll be fine."

"Ace, look up. Don't smile. Act tough. You're a Slater."

Marie thought that her mother's warnings seemed a little harsher than usual – during the reapings, Jerrine Slater usually left the children to themselves and concentrated on making herself look good. Maybe Jerrine was worried about Ace, too.

Marie turned in pace with her family, walking towards the 18-year-olds' line. "What are you doing, Marie?" her mother hissed, pushing Marie a little. "Walk to your own line." Marie turned around obediently and walked towards the line for the 12-year-olds. When was she ever going to learn? Her mother didn't care about her any more than she cared for a bug on the ground. When she had said that she would walk with her children to their lines, she had obviously meant Ace. Because, while Marie was genetically part of the Slater family, she was nothing like them. While her mother might treat her like part of the family in front of others, Jerrine Slater would never love her as she loved Ace.

"Watch it, Three," Alta growled as Marie accidentally bumped into him. "Y'know, I'm actually hoping that you'll be reaped this year, and then I'll be rid of you forever. Heck, the district will be rid of you forever. No one will miss you – not even Ace."

"Shut up, Alta," Marie hissed, narrowing her eyes and trying to look as fierce as her mother did.

"Calm down, Three. It's not like anyone likes you anyway."

Without thinking, Marie reached out to push Alta. She knew that it was the truth, but she didn't want to hear it. Laughing, Alta stepped aside and Marie lost her balance, falling to the ground. Her hair tumbled out of its hairdo and her hands were grazed.

"You know it's the truth, Marie. What's the matter, are you in denial?" he asked in a mocking tone, as if he was speaking to a baby.

Marie glared at him and got up, brushing the dirt off her clothes. Why was it that she never could appear cool and calm as Ace always did? They were from the same family, after all; there must be something she had done wrong.

"Stay still, you two," Alice, a mature 12-year-old, glanced at the two of them. "The mayor's about to tell the history of Panem."

Marie spent the time the mayor took to tell Panem's history to ensure that she did not look to messy. There was nothing she could do about her hair, obviously, but she might be able to salvage the dress before her mother saw it.

"Twenty years ago, Katniss Everdeen started a war. She was the people's 'Mockingjay', the symbol of their revolution. The Capitol beat her and the rebels down before any true damage could be caused."

Katniss Everdeen. Marie frowned. Everdeen was the girl who had died trying to save the people from both the Capitol and the Games. Everdeen was the reason why the Games were harsher now than they had ever been before.

Needless to say, Marie hated Katniss Everdeen.

"The Hunger Games are both a time for repentance and a time for thanks," the mayor finished. Then he proceeds to read a list of past victors.

Marcus. Selena. Lydia. Tavin. Liam. Cayden. Oliver. Logan. Lila. Arianna. Tyler. Eli. Gabrielle. Maddox. Avery. Jerrine. Out of twenty-five victors from District Four, sixteen had been Slaters. The ones still living nodded in acknowledgement from their seat on the stage as their names were read.

"Well, now it's time for the reaping!" District Four's representative, Ava, said, walking up to the podium and smiling cheerfully. "Now, I don't like being normal – "

_Too right, _Marie thought, looking at Ava's bright pink skin.

" – and I don't like having to stick to tradition, either. So this year, we're starting with the boys!"

_Of course we are. Just like we have every year since we got _you.

Ava trotted over to the glass bowl and dipped her hand in, pulling out the first piece of paper her hand encountered.

"Ace Slater!" she cried, obviously pleased to have drawn a Slater. Even the Capitol citizens knew about the Slater family.

Marie watched, transfixed, as her elder brother mounted the steps of the stage and stood on Ava's right, smiling.

"And now for the girls!" She dipped a hand into the other bowl and let her eyes wander over the paper. "Oh, my," she whispered. Then her grin snapped back onto her face, wider than before.

"Marie Slater!" she called, her grin threatening to break her face. "Oh, it seems we have siblings in the games this year!"

Marie didn't move. _What? _she thought. _Why me? Am I really that unlucky?_ But why was no one volunteering? Wasn't being in the games supposed to be an honour that everyone in District Four fought for? Then she remembered what her mother had said earlier: _I bribed everyone else not to allow their children to volunteer this year, or to sign up for tessarae. _But surely no one had thought that she had meant for the females not to volunteer as well? Surely everyone knew that it was only Ace she wanted in the games?

Yes, everyone knew, Marie realised as she looked around frantically. But no one cared. The girls were all afraid of Jerrine, too scared to go against her orders.

As Marie mounted the stairs to the stage with shaking legs, she barely noticed Ava grinning delightedly at having drawn two siblings. She couldn't think of anything at all. But then, she realised that, in a way, she _had _been right.

Her mother really was the death of her.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Hey guys! I know it's been a long time - two years since I published this. Well I'm back - for good this time - and I'll be updating a lot more frequently now. Stories will be either uploaded or updated every fortnight for the foreseeable future. (:

So here it is - chapter two of _Sibling Rivalry. _I hope you like it!

Keep dreaming,

-Ally

* * *

**Sibling Rivalry**

Chapter Two

* * *

Marie sat on the edge of the bed in the Justice Building, her feet barely touching the ground. She kept her eyes on the floor, tracing the cracks in the cement.

In the next room, she could hear her mother talking to Ace. She had gone in the moment they had arrived at the Justice Building, and hadn't left since. Marie's eyes strayed over to her feet, watching them swing, disappearing out of her sight and coming back. Back, forth, back, forth – it was a comforting rhythm. Time was ticking – but Marie supposed she had been a fool to think that Jerrine would waste any time on her.

The metal door to her room was pushed open, and Marie abruptly stopped swinging her legs, looking up to see who would be visiting her. To her surprise, her father poked his head in.

Marinus Slater was a middle-aged man, with copper hair that both Marie and Ace had inherited and green eyes. Marie hadn't seen much of her father growing up. He was a victor in his own right, having won the 67th Hunger Games years ago. However, instead of living in the large house that two victors' pensions had bought them, he chose to spend most of his time on his fishing boat, alone. He walked into the small room and stood uncomfortably in front of his daughter, not sure what to do with himself.

He stood there in silence, fidgeting with his hands. Marie didn't know what to say– thank you for coming? Nice of you to choose to see me now? – so she remained firmly planted on the bed, looking at her father.

After what seemed like eternity, he sighed and sat next down next to her. He lifted his arm to put it around Marie, but she moved away from him, right to the edge of the bed. This man had barely spent any time with her as a child, not because he couldn't, but because he didn't want to. He was no father of hers.

Marinus blinked, but spoke anyway. "Marie… I'm so sorry this happened." He shook his head. "I told your mother forcing her way into the Games wasn't a good idea, but she wouldn't listen. She's got a stubborn streak – that's something you got from her."

Marie wished she could move further away from the stranger sitting next to her, but she was already on the edge of the bed, and moving any more would mean her falling off. The idea that she was anything like her mother was utterly repulsive.

Then again, her mother had managed to get out of the Games alive. Maybe being like her now wouldn't be the worst thing.

Marinus seemed to notice Marie's aversion to his words, and hesitated. "I have – "

The door swung open again, and both Marie and Marinus looked up, surprised at the interruption.

Jerrine Slater walked in swiftly, stopping right in front of Marie. She looked her daughter up and down, face expressionless. "You being reaped was an… unfortunate incident," she said, scrunching up her nose as if the words left a sour taste on her tongue. "I've talked to the mayor, and apparently if no one volunteers at the reaping, the tributes are final."

She moved forward and Marie's father got up from the bed, offering his seat to her. She ignored him, continuing to stand.

"You'll leave for the station shortly. In the meantime, I suggest you think long and hard about your survival strategy; you'll need to project that personality at the train station as well."

Jerrine paused. Marie looked at her, wondering what else she might say.

"Good luck," she finally said, looking Marie straight in the eye. Then she turned and stiffly walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Marie exhaled, watching the door close behind her mother. Good luck – that was all her mother had for her. Watch how you act, and good luck.

She knew it had been ridiculous of her to expect more, but part of her wanted to run after Jerrine, to ask for more advice. Part of her wanted to demand an explanation for why her mother had spent so much time with Ace and so little with her. This was probably the last conversation she would ever have with her mother. Could it even be a conversation if she hadn't talked at all?

Marinus cleared his throat, and Marie tore her eyes away from the door and to her father, looking at him expectantly. Her father pulled out a wooden bangle from the pocket of his khakis and held it out to Marie. She tilted her head in confusion.

"It's my token from when I was in the Games," Marinus said. "I want you to have it."

He moved to put the bangle on her arm, but Marie jerked away from her father. She wanted nothing to do with the stranger standing in front of her, the irresponsible jerk who hadn't bothered to be there for his children, who had only bothered to show up right before they were to enter a deathtrap.

The bangle flipped out of Marinus's hand and landed on the ground, rolling underneath the bed. Marie looked up at her father.

"I think you should leave," she said, not trusting herself to say more. Marinus nodded, his expression unreadable, as he turned away and walked out of the door.

* * *

The station was crowded, as Marie had expected it would be. Everyone wanted to see Ace off to his victory - and Marie to her death.

She walked next to her brother, wishing she could take his hand for comfort, but all the while remembering what her mother had said before - _don't hold hands, it makes you look weak_. She hadn't yet decided on a strategy, but she didn't want to mess up Ace's. She kept her head held high, trying to mask her fear. She had never been comfortable in crowds - they were too loud and noisy. Reporters from the Capitol shoved cameras and microphones in their faces, and Marie had to stop every few seconds for Ace to answer a question. Whatever her strategy was, Marie was sure it would not entail being chatty and friendly.

Ace wrapped up his answer to a reporter's question, shot the camera a brilliant smile, and they moved on.

The moment Ava rushed Marie and Ace onto the train, she was enveloped by the delicious smell of brunch wafting along the corridors. Ava bounced ahead, obviously expecting Marie and Ace to follow her. Marie trailed after her, her feet sinking into the soft red carpet.

The end of the train corridor opened up to a large dining room. The room was decorated, Marie noticed, just like the Slater home, with a glass cabinet filled with old wine in the corner, beautiful potted plants, and a large antique wooden dining table right in the middle of it all. Ava sat at the head of the table, beaming.

"Come, sit!" she said, gesturing to the many seats around her. Ace moved forward and sat on her right and Marie followed reluctantly after, sitting on Ava's left. They sat there in uncomfortable silence.

"Ooh, I do love this bit," Ava said after a moment, clapping her hands in glee. Marie was forcibly reminded of a dim-witted seal. "The train ride's always loads of fun! Of course, the real party starts when you get to the Capitol, but it's such a relief to be out of the Districts. No offence, of course," she said, looking at Ace quickly. Ace nodded graciously. "So, introduce yourselves! Tell me all about you. The Slaters... They're rather famous, aren't they?" Ava finished her speech with a titter, and Marie gripped the napkin she had set on her lap tightly.

"Why don't we start with you, my dear?"

Marie looked up from her whitened knuckles. _What?_

"Marie Slater, the youngest in the Slater family! Why haven't I heard much about you?"

_Because you're an idiot. _Marie smiled awkwardly. "I don't get out much."

Ava looked disappointed at her lack of response. "So that's why there's no gossip about you!" she continued bravely. "I have to say, it wasn't obvious to me before, but you are most certainly a Slater. You have your mother's eyes - grey, just like storm clouds!"

Marie looked at Ava's expectant face, not sure how to respond. Was that a compliment?

"Marie actually doesn't look much like either of our parents," Ace cut in, and Marie shot him a grateful smile. "She has our mom's eyes and dad's hair, but that's it."

Ava's eyebrows furrowed slightly - probably as far as all that plastic in her face would allow them to go - and shook her head. "It's not just the colour - she has something in her eyes, the same kind of steel Jerrine has. It's absolutely brilliant! Have you thought of playing the cool, aloof tribute, my dear?" she said, placing a hand on Marie's arm. "You'd look absolutely perfect for the part."

Marie was now absolutely sure Ava was completely insane. There was no way a twelve-year-old could pull off a cold personality in the Games. She told Ava this, and the young chaperone nodded wisely.

"Of course, I hadn't taken into account your age. I suppose we'll leave your strategy to your mentor to decide. Ace, you're just being yourself, right?"

Ace smiled. "Yeah. No point pretending to be someone I'm not, is there?"

"The crowd will love you," Ava promised, turning to him. "You'll get loads of sponsors! Both of you, of course," she added hurriedly.

Ava started an animated conversation with Ace, making occasional attempts to draw Marie into the conversation. Marie listened for a while, envying how easily Ace could carry a conversation, before giving up on ever joining in smoothly. She started on the food on the plate before her. The sausages and eggs were delicious, though they tasted foreign to Marie, who had grown up eating seafood. She wondered what food there would be in the Capitol. If the food there was half as good as what was on her plate, at least Marie would have a good meal before the Games.

"...oh, your mentor's already in the Capitol, he had some business to attend to."

Marie became more alert, listening to the conversation. Who had her mother gotten to mentor them?

"He's Crestian Hayes! Victor of the 87th Hunger Games."

The name wasn't familiar to Marie. She frowned. Why had her mother not made a well-known victor the mentor in Ace's Games? Surely she would have done all she could to ensure one.

The clatter of metal against ceramic brought Marie out of her thoughts and she looked up, seeing Ava's cutlery neatly set on her plate. Ava beamed at her, as if she hadn't noticed Marie's inattentiveness the entire time.

"Well, I'll be retiring to my carriage now!" she said. "I'll show you two to yours!"

Marie reluctantly put down her fork and Ace, who hadn't yet started on his food, looked up in alarm. Noticing his expression, Ava laughed, and turned to Marie instead. "Perhaps I'll show you yours first, my dear?" she said, smiling at Marie. Her teeth were really white, Marie noticed, and they clashed horribly with her bright pink skin and electric blue hair. She nodded and got up from her seat.

Ava bounced off down the corridor and Marie hurried to follow her. They stopped in front of the second door on the right, and Ava beamed.

"This is your room. I'll be in the carriage on the far end if you need me."

Marie smiled nervously. "Thank you."

Ava nodded. "Good day!" And with that, she turned and left, walking quickly down the corridor. As she walked, Marie heard her talk to herself, rather delightedly.

"Siblings in the Games… I'll have the most entertaining district this year!"

Marie opened the door to her carriage and stumbled in, suddenly feeling sick. She sat on the nearest thing, the bed, and watched her feet swing as the train sped along the tracks.

Marie felt like throwing up, the reality of what was happening beginning to sink in. She stopped swinging her feet and gripped the edge of the bed weakly. She couldn't breathe properly; the air felt like it had been sucked from the cabin.

_She and Ace, in the Games together… _She was from District Four, the district where more volunteers than people who were actually Reaped entered the Games. She had never thought that she would have to enter the Games, let alone be entered with her brother, the golden boy from the perfect family.

She heard a knock on her door and Ace poked his head in. "Hey," he said. "Want a muffin?"

Marie shook her head and smiled weakly. "No, I'm good. Thanks."

Ace shrugged and walked into the room. His eyebrows knitted together as he took in Marie's stance. "Are you okay? You seem a little scared."

"I – yeah, I am," Marie said. "But it's nothing worth freaking out over, really." She wasn't sure how to tell Ace that she was scared of going up against him in the Games and that only one of them would come out alive.

Ace took a bite of his muffin, chewing it slowly. "If you're freaked out about us entering the Games together, don't worry. You'll be fine. I'll look out for you."

Marie looked at Ace, who was leaning against the door and smiling at her, his green eyes warm. She didn't have the heart to tell him that she wasn't so much worried about her making it out alive alone as she was about things never being the same again. Ace had always looked out for her when they were growing up, but this was beyond his control.

So she smiled, trying to appear reassured. "Thanks."

Ace nodded, pleased, and took another bite of his muffin. "I'm going to explore the train. Wanna come with?" When Marie shook her head, he shrugged and left the cabin.

When he had left, Marie got up from the bed and opened the window in her carriage, her thin arms pushing open the copper grilles and pulling the windows apart. The wind whipped through her hair, and Marie watched as her home faded into the distance.


End file.
